bosone - 10-14-2010 at 11:54 PM
hi to everyone!
i am an hobbyst musician and when i go around the world i always buy some typical musical instruments:
to have an idea:
http://www.alchemystudio.it/Strumenti/Strumenti_etnici_en.htm
next week i will be first in Ankara then in Istanbul.
i'm looking for an oud or saz.
i know in istanbul i should go to visit galip dede caddesi.
my questions are:
what is a "good price" for a reasonable good oud/saz? is there room for lowering the first price told by the seller?
i don't want a 2000$ professional instrument... but also i do not want a toy! my reasonable budget is 200-300 euro: is this enough or should i
increase it??
do you have some shop in particular to suggest??
i will be first in ankara and i will move to istanbul by train or bus. should i look for something in ankara? is ankara cheaper than istanbul, or can
i buy a better instrument at a lower price?? do you have some suggestions for ankara shops?
i just found this one:
http://www.cankayamuzikevi.com/frameset.htm
but their lowest priced oud is 500$.
thanks a lot!
bye!
fadel - 10-15-2010 at 08:08 AM
hi
in Ankara ther good maker ( ender ) but his oud staret 2000 $
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000972433293
and Emir
http://www.emirudlari.com/
good lok
Adel Salameh - 10-16-2010 at 01:16 AM
Hi, you should visit Dr Cengiz in Istanbul, he makes very nice ouds at a reasonable prices, you can got a very nice oud for 1.000 Euro.
if you have more money to spend then you should go to the master luthier Mustafa Copcuoglu, the best maker in Istanbul and try some of his state of
the art ouds, fantastic maker and extremly nice person, his ouds are more expensive.... if I want to buy a Turkish oud i will go and buy from
him.....loved his ouds.
good luck.
Adel
Greg - 10-16-2010 at 03:05 AM
Welcome to the forums, Matteo.
I enjoyed your site, thanks for sharing.
As suggested by others, you will buy a wonderful oud from fine makers such as Faruk Turunz, Dr Cengiz Sarikus and Mustafa Copcuoglu, but not for
200-300 euro.
If you decide to increase your budget, then go directly to one of the fine luthiers.
For 200-300 euro, you may be better off looking for a reasonable saz, rather than buying an oud that will disappoint.
I suggest you visit the mall at Unkapani (IMC Blok 6). (Istanbul)
It's just off the Ataturk Bulvari, beside the bridge. The other "Bloks" are full of things like kitchenware, furnishing textiles and carpeting, so
head straight for the music shops in Blok 6.
As this is not a tourist destination, you will find two things that I had trouble finding in Galip Dede St.
1/ At the lower end of the price spectrum, instruments that are reasonable quality for the price.
2/ Sales' people who can actually tune and play the instruments (particularly saz).
Others may have other experiences of the good vendors in Galip Dede St. But I was disappointed.
Good luck and enjoy Istanbul.
Regards,
Greg
bosone - 10-16-2010 at 03:54 AM
thank you for your advices!
i have contacted by email this shop in ankara:
http://www.cankayamuzikevi.com/frameset.htm
they offered me their Gk-15 OUT at about 300 euro (last price) or the MKA 25 at 500 (first price).
according to you are these good prices? from your experience, is there room for lowering the price a little more? i dont know if these seller are used
to bargain like carpet sellers, as my friend told me for example! 
and also, are these good ouds? i feel they are good luthier but the problem is: should i buy in ankara or will i be able to find reasonable oud at
reasonable price also in Istanbul?
or it will be impossible to get this quality at this price in istanbul?
anyway, i feel that i should spent at least 400 euro for a fairly decent oud, isnt' it??
thanks again!
panço - 10-16-2010 at 04:30 AM
if you buy an oud from ıstanbul there is only one adress for th best ouds
its Cengiz Sarıkus veysel muzık evi .
thanks
Greg - 10-16-2010 at 06:29 AM
Subject 1.
Sadettin Sandi has several Cankaya Music retail instrument shops. One is located on Galip Dede Caddesi (St) Istanbul.
Mr Sandi manufactures a large range of instruments to cater for all budgets.
No matter who you buy from, the quality of the instrument you buy will be dictated by the price you pay.
Subject 2.
There are several fine luthiers in Istanbul (and elsewhere in Turkey and the rest of the world)
I know Dr Cengiz Sarikus and I have great respect for him. He is a very fine man and a fine luthier. But it is not helpful to describe an artist as
the "Best".
Let's leave that sort of description to the sporting world, where it is more appropriate.
fernandraynaud - 10-16-2010 at 11:13 PM
I believe there is a bit of a mismatch of expectations here. Being referred to world class luthiers is probably a significant overkill. I doubt you
need a stradivarius. Low action, ebony fingerboard and pegs, clean finish (as a sign of workmaship, not necessarily and end in itself) and extremely
light weight construction is what you want.
As far as saz goes, you might want both a long neck 23 fret saz and the somewhat shorter very popular 19 fret baglama saz, they are tuned and played
differently. They are instruments played by "everybody", and you should be able to get one of each for the price of one oud, with piezo pickups
installed.
Adel Salameh - 10-17-2010 at 02:52 AM
I agree with you Greg that we have good oud makers all over the World and this is very good news for all of us.
In Europe you have good makers too like Wolfgang fruh, Matthias Wagner and many others.....
In Istanbul i have visited many oud makers , some of them were very good and others are excellent, Dr Cengiz for example, he makes authentic oud,
Turkish sound, very good quality ouds, great finish and not very expensive ...;
the same with Mustafa, excellent maker, great finish and beautiful sound, for 2000 USD you can got very special oud from him, I do like his ouds
alot....
I am not interested in Guitar sound ouds, nor fancy finish varnish or polish.....
you said , (No matter who you buy from, the quality of the instrument you buy will be dictated by the price you pay).
not always the case my friend Greg..... I have seen ouds in Istanbul double the price or more than Mustafa oud and not the same standard.
good luck and enjoy playing the oud.
Adel